Prefacing Note: This Sunday, Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, of the NY Board of Rabbis, has invited The Sons of Italy (represented by Dona De Sanctis) to be on his radio show,"Religion on the Line" to discuss Victoria Gotti's new series. His radio show
is heard in 38 STATES. ALL are encouraged to call in to give your opinion.
Date:  Sunday, Aug. 8 ---Time:  8:05 A.M.
Station:  WABC - 770 AM in NYC ---Call:  1 800 848 9222

Victoria Gotti's obvious exploitation of her fathers' notorious reputation, unwarrantingly "tars" the Italian American community as part of a "Pattern".

The further perpetuation of such stereotypical bigotry, should not be permitted against any group, even by a member within that group.

In Hebrew there is an expression called “tikkun olam”--which means “repairing the world.” Jews have accepted an obligation to make the world a better place. Not an obligation to fix the world all by themselves, but to do whatever they can.

An appeal for their help in contacting the advertisers, would be appropriate, but
following Ms. De Sanctis' lead would be advisable.

A&E Networks representative call their show 'Growing Up Gotti' a responsible portrayal of a single working mother who is raising three teenage sons.

Absolutely. Just another "Typical and Average" single working mother, raising three teenage sons in an Ornate house, who has a Mob Boss as a Father, and uses his more Notorious name, rather than her husband's less known surname (Carmine Agnello) like you meet everyday at your local WalMart :)

"A&E would like us to think that it has produced a documentary series about a struggling single mother, who is raising three sons while balancing the demands of a career, family and a social life," says CSJ (commission for Social Justice, Sons of Italy) President Albert De Napoli, Esq., who practices law in Boston.

"That is ingenuous at best," De Napoli said. "If Ms. Gotti had a different last name, A&E would not have given a second thought to a series about her life."

"What we have here is a network pandering to the seemingly insatiable appetite for Mafia stories that the U.S. entertainment industry has cultivated in the American public. As a result, Americans will know more about Victoria Gotti and her infamous father than such genuine Italian American heroines as Mother Cabrini, the first American saint; Ella Grasso, the first woman elected governor in her own right; or Betty Della Corte, a crusader for the rights of battered women."

"Clearly, A&E is cashing in on the nation's fascination with The Sopranos. What's worse, this series undermines the only positive stereotype identified with Italian Americans: their love for each other and loyalty to the family."

"If A&E had really wanted to show how a single mother today copes with work, family and finances, there are millions of better role models than Victoria Gotti," De Napoli said.

The following article triggered a television interview with OSIA President Joe Sciame which aired on WNEW-TV Channel 5 in the Greater NY area during their newscast.

New York Post
By Alisha Berger

August 5, 2004 -- Italian-American groups are threatening to boycott the sponsors of "Growing Up Gotti," the new reality-TV series about mob daughter Victoria Gotti's family, because it gives Italians a bad name.

Gotti, daughter of the late mob boss John Gotti, and her three teen sons are stars of the A&E show, whose debut this week drew 3.5 million viewers. "Enough is enough," said Stephen R. Aiello of the National Italian American Foundation. "This show reinforces a commonly held belief that most Italian-Americans are either bums, bigots, buffoons or barely literate."

Dona De Sanctis of the Order Sons of Italy in America agreed that the show unfairly portrays Italian-Americans and said her group and Aiello's, along with the United Italian Community Organization, have been inundated with e-mails and phone calls decrying the show.

"The only reason A&E decided to make Victoria Gotti the star of a reality program is because she's a daughter of a man who has disgraced his family name and ethnic heritage," De Sanctis said.

"But Hollywood and TV have typecast us and keep turning mobsters into mythical figures. Tony Soprano and Victoria Gotti are not role models."

A representative of A&E Networks called the show a responsible portrayal of a single working mother who is raising three teenage sons.

New York Post Online Edition: news
http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/18419.htm